Four decades after Willie Nelson, John Mellencamp, and Neil Young organized the first benefit concert to help struggling American farmers, Farm Aid is preparing to mark its milestone 40th anniversary with a star-studded celebration.
The landmark event, scheduled for September 20, 2025, at Huntington Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, will make history as CNN breaks with tradition to broadcast the entire concert live nationwide, bringing the farmers’ cause to millions of viewers across America.
Since its inception in 1985, Farm Aid has raised more than $85 million to support family farmers through emergency assistance, education, and advocacy efforts focused on sustainable agricultural policies.
Farm Aid’s four-decade legacy: $85 million invested in family farmers through direct help, education, and sustainable policy advocacy.
The inaugural concert, held in Champaign, Illinois, featured over 50 artists and raised $7 million to address the farming crisis of the 1980s, which had devastated rural communities with high interest rates, mounting debts, and falling land values.
The upcoming anniversary festival will showcase the organization’s founding members—Willie Nelson, Neil Young performing with Chrome Hearts, John Mellencamp, and board member Dave Matthews, who joined the cause in 2001.
The lineup also features contemporary artists including Margo Price, Kenny Chesney, Billy Strings, Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats, and Wynonna Judd, representing the broad coalition of musicians who have contributed their talents to Farm Aid throughout its history.
Several participating artists will capture high-quality recordings of their performances using portable home studio setups that offer professional sound without the need for extensive equipment.
Beyond the music, the event will integrate food sourced directly from family farms and provide agricultural education experiences for attendees.
This approach underscores Farm Aid’s ongoing mission to promote farmer-led solutions to climate change and market pressures while opposing corporate consolidation in agriculture.
The 40th anniversary celebration launches a year-long commemoration of Farm Aid’s impact and reinforces the crucial connection between music advocacy and sustainable agriculture.
As the organization marks this significant milestone, its work continues to highlight the essential role of rural communities in America’s food system and cultural fabric, addressing contemporary challenges facing family farmers including economic instability and corporate pressure on small-scale agriculture.
Fans interested in attending can purchase tickets starting May 16, with prices for the all-day festival experience ranging from $101 to $390.
Many of the participating artists will use this platform to diversify their income streams while supporting a cause they believe in through merchandise sales and special edition recordings.
The festival will feature HOMEGROWN Concessions® offering local and organic foods that showcase the importance of sustainable farming practices and connect concertgoers directly with the agricultural community the event supports.
